A process that works with children...

Someone told me that they used to have family meetings with their children, so I thought I'd give it a try. Well, we just had our sixth family meeting, which I run like a business meeting. Each of us has a book and pen and we write down our issues and some praise points. We then discuss the issues and come up with some possible solutions, which they suggest, as well as some punishments for doing the wrong thing. They are way harder than I would be!

We then draw a job out of the hat and everyone gets their task for the week. It's kind of fun, unless you get the kitchen for the third week in a row, which is what happened to my 9 year old who cried real tears of frustration! Suffice to say, she negotiated her way out of the kitchen and into floors. I felt a whole load of satisfaction as she complained about how hard mopping the floors is - she is the worst offender when it comes to messing up the floors! She has pledged to never eat anywhere but at the table again and I am going to hold her to it.

The beauty of these times together is that it is bringing a cohesion within our family unit which was missing before. Also, a cooperative movement forward as a family.

I don't know if you have the same issues as I do in getting everyone motivated, but this business process works. It works in the workplace and it works in the home. Communication is vital to the success of any business and a family is just another form of business run on goodwill!

Pop me a comment and share your family secrets for gaining and maintaining order and cooperation.

Thirty Day Challenge - a Real Challenge!

I'm doing the Thirty Day Challenge, but got a little challenged the first week. Have decided to re-start the challenge once the kids are back at school and I am no longer sick.

Here is what I had to say when I got stuck...